Images

Geiger mode 3DEP lidar point cloud over Chicago, IL from 3DEP Project USGS Lidar Point Cloud IL 4County Cook 2017

Example of the Landsat 7 ETM+ Collection 2 level-2 science products. Left: Landsat 7 level-2 surface reflectance image. Right: Landsat 7 level-2 surface temperature image. The data was acquired on August 19, 2020 (path 179 row 28).

Example of the Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS Collection 2 level-1 product. This Landsat 8 image was acquired on August 18, 2020 over Lake Everard and Lake Harry in southern Australia and is shown as a false color composite using the shortwave infrared, near infrared, and red bands (bands 6,5,4).

When you’re planning to explore someplace new, it’s always a good idea to bring a map so you can avoid dangerous terrain. This is true whether you’re heading out for a hike on Earth or you’re landing a rover on Mars!

Example of hydrography derived from 3DEP lidar data for a section of the Marshyhope Creek near Federalsburg, Maryland

Bar graph showing total estimated program cost and funding gap to complete nationwide 3D Elevation Program data acquisition by 2023

Photo Contest Winner | Feb. 2020 | People
Shannon Fisher pulling sled at Moreau Lake area after measuring water levels in GW wells surrounding the lake

William T. Pecora, Director of the USGS from 1965 to 1971, is largely responsible for two major contributions to science in the public interest: the creation of a national earthquake research center at the USGS facility in Menlo Park, CA, and the Landsat series of Earth observing satellites.

3D geologic framework model from west-central New Mexico; graphic shows stratigraphic units in the model being sequentially removed to reveal the deeper units. Faults used in the model appear as vertical “ribbons” as geologic layers are removed.

Founded by the Spanish in 1565, St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest settlement of European origin in the United States. The Spanish fortress of Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine was built from 1672-1695 and is made of coquina, a soft, impact-absorbing stone composed of sea shells.

Capital Tallahassee

Georgia is home to Okefenokee Swamp, a unique area of primitive wetland that provides sanctuary for hundreds of species of birds and wildlife, including several endangered species.

Capital Atlanta

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 10,711,908

Iowa gets its name from an Indian word meaning “land between two rivers.” It is the only state whose east and west borders are entirely formed by water: the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers.

Capital Des Moines

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 3,190,369

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky is the world’s longest cave system, with more than 400 miles explored. Tours of Mammoth Cave have been given since 1816.

Capital Frankfort

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 4,505,836

Number of Pixels 116,287,675

The Mackinac Bridge is one of the longest suspension bridges in the world. It connects the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan and spans five miles over the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet.

Capital Lansing

Image Source Landsat 8

Although once described as the “Great American Desert,” Nebraska is now a breadbasket for the nation and much of the world. It ranks among the leading states in many agricultural production categories.

Capital Lincoln

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 1,961,504

Utah mountain peaks, on average, are the tallest in the country. The average elevation of the tallest peaks in each of Utah’s counties is 11,222 feet–higher than the same average in any other state.

Capital Salt Lake City

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 3,271,616

Before Abraham Lincoln was elected President, he served in the Illinois legislature and practiced law in Springfield. Lincoln is buried just outside Springfield at the Lincoln Tomb State Historic Site.

Capital Springfield

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 12,812,508

Located just southeast of Osborne, Kansas, is the Geodetic Center of North America. The Geodetic Center is the initial point upon which all North American surveys, deeds, and maps are based.

Capital Topeka

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 2,937,880

Forests cover approximately 2.6 million acres, or 41 percent, of Maryland’s land surface. Oak and hickory are the dominant hardwood or deciduous forest types, and loblolly pine is the most prevalent softwood.

Capital Annapolis

Image Source Landsat 8

Population 6,177,224

Orville and Wilbur Wright made the first powered flight near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903. The actual flight took place four miles away at the Kill Devil Hills, now the site of Wright Brothers National Memorial. 

Capital Raleigh

Image Source Landsat 8

Sometimes called the “Mother State,” Virginia has produced eight U.S. presidents (more than any other state): George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson.

Capital Richmond

Image Source Landsat 8